Automobile gasoline meter



Dec. 14, 1926.

- 1311,01? F. L. FULLER AUTOMOBILE GASOLINE mm? Filed Nov. 1S. 1923 Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRED Ll FULLER, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE GASOLINE METER.

Application filed November 15, 1923. Serial No. 674,930.

1 provide means for adjusting the device to adapt the same for use with different gasoline feeding systems and to compensate for any slight changes that might occur in a system so equipped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, the figure i a partly sectional and partly elevational view of a portion of a gasoline vacuum feeding system for an automobile equipped with the gasoline meter embodying this invention.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates a fragmentary portlon of a gasoline supply tank which is associated with the vacuum feed tank 6 for the purpose of caus ing the gasoline stored in the tank 5 to be fed or conveyed to a carbureter suitably associated with an internal combustion engine, not shown.

The vacuum feed tank 6 consists of an outer chamber 7 that is suitably closed at its lower end by the cap 7 which is provided with a pipe 7 communicating therethrough and intended to be connected at its opposite end to a carbureter, not shown. Positioned within this outer chamber 7 is an inner chamber 8 which is provided with a depending substantially L-shaped tubular member 9 having a flap valve 10 pivotally connected to the outer open end, the said flap valve 10 being normally retained in its closed position by the spring element 11. The upper open ends ofthe receptacles 7 and 8 are closed by the cap member 12, as shown. Formed in the side wall of the chamber 7 is a permanently open vent 13 which is adapted for allowing the admission of air into this chamber. The portion ofthe cap 12 that is provided for closing the upper end of the inner receptacle 8 is provided with a conically-shaped valve seat 14 having associated therewith a valve member 15 that is adapted for being moved into and out of engagement with the said seat 14: for the purpose of intermittently allowingthe entrance of air into the inner chamber 8 and preventing such entrance of air. This valve member 15 is rigidly mounted upon a valve rod 16 that extends downwardly through the chamber 8 and is guided at its lower end 17 by a supporting web 18 that is located at the point of connection between the tubular extension 9 and said chamber. This valve rod 16 is provided with a movement limiting collar 19 suitably spaced from its upper end and a second movement limiting member 20 that is properly positioned from the lower end 17. Slidably mounted upon the valve rod 16 between the movement limiting collar and-member 19 and 20 is a float 21 that is adapted for engaging said collar or member for the purpose of raising or lowering the valve member 15 in respect to the valve seat 14. The cap 12 is further provided with a (sonically-shaped valve seat 22 which is adapted for being selectively en gaged and disengaged by the valve element 23 which is provided with a stem 24: slidably engaging the guide 25 andconnected at its lower end to a link 26 that is pivotally connected to the supporting bracket 27 carried bythe said cap 12. This link 26 is further provided with a longitudinally extending slot 28 that is adapted for being engaged by a pin 29 carried by the valve rod 16. The opening in the cap 12 which is formed into the valve seat 22 is further connected to a pipe 30 that is intended to be connected at its opposite end to the fuel intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, not shown. Suitably supported in proximity to the vacuum feed tank 6 is a chamber 31 that is connected at its lower end to the lower end of the inner chamber 8 by means of the pipe 32 while the upper end of the said chamber 31'is connected to the upper end of the inner chamber 8 by 'a pipe 33. It will be seen by this construction that suitable communica-' tion is provided between the chambers'8an d 31 for allowing fluid fed into the chamber 8 to pass into the chamber 31 for suitably increasing the capacity of the chamber 8 for accomplishing the purpose desired. This purpose is to provide a total capacity that will measure one-tenth of a gallon of gasoline when the same has suitably filled the chamber 8 for causing the float 21 to be raised to engage the stop collar 19 for open ing the air vent valve 15 and closing the vacuum controlling valve 23; For the purpose of regulating the capacity of the chamber 31,21v displacement element 341 is positioned therewithin and is secured to a stem 35 which extends through the top of this chamber and isprovided with a threaded upper end 36 whichis operatively engaged by a knurled nut 39 for raising or lowering the element 34 by engaging the upper end of the bracket 38. 1

The chamber 31 is connected by the pipes with a sight tube which is pro itled with the upper and lower shut otf valves 46 as shown. It will be seen by this construc tion that the level of any liquid positioned w'thin the chamber 31 may be determined by the sighttube d5.

Mounted upon the dash counter 41-? that is adapter. in tenths. Gonnected to the operating lever 4:8 of this counter is a rod that is connected at its opposite end to a piston, not shown, which ispositioned within the sealed chamber 52. 'lhischamber 52 is connected to a. pipe 58 which. leads to the gasoline supply tank 5, at a pointproperly spaced from the bottom of the same. and is further provided with a branch pipe 54 that is connected with an opening 55 formed in the cap 12 in the portion of the same that closes the upper end of the inner chamber 8. r

The operation of the apparatus is as tollowsz s V The vacuum teed tank 6 is employed in the usual manner for transferring the gasoline from the sup )1 tankl' into the inner chamber 8 when a vacuum is created therewithin, the said vacuum being produced by connect inn the said chamber with the intake manifold of the engine. In this instance it will first be considered that the tank 8 is empty and that the float 21 hasmove'd downwardly upon the valve stem 16 until it engages the movement limiting memberQO tor the purpose ot'moving the same to close the communication between the chamber 8 and the depending L-shaped extension 9. This downward movement of the valve stem 16 will cause the.conicallyeshaped valve 15 to seatv upon the valve seat 14L for preventing the admission of air into the chamber 8. Due to the pin 29 engagingthe slot 28 formed in the. linlt 26. the downward movement of the \-"al e'st..n1 16 will cause the valve 23 to di c age the valve seat thereby connecting .a inner chan'iber with the fuel intake manifold of theengine. The connecting of the inner chamber Swith the intake manifold will cause the vacuum to be created within this chamber 8. This vacuum will cause gasoline to be d.rawnifroin the, supply tank 5 board l-3 is a for indicating terminating therewithin through the pipe 53 and into the chamber 8 through the branch pipe 54:. The liquid will also enter the capacity increasing chamber 31 and will rise in both the chambers 8 and 31 equally. It will also be seen that the rising of the liquid level may be determined by the sight tube The rising of the liquid within the chamber 8 will cause the loatZl to be moved upwardly upon the valve stenrlti until engages the movement limiting collar 19 whereupon the valve stem 16 will be moved with the float 21 for raising the valve 15 from the seat 1 1 and for moving the valve 23 into engagement with the seat 22, l lhen the valve 23 has been seated the chamber 8 has been disconnected from the fuel intake manifold and the vacuum creating eiiect oi this connection is stopped. It is intended that the capacity of the chamber 8 the chan'iber 31, the lower pipe 44, the sight tube 45 and the branch pipe 32 connecting the chambers 8 and 31 shall be precisely one-tenth of a gallon of gasoline when, the level of the latter has risen in the tank 8 torcausing the valve 23 to seat. It will be seen that this capacity may be varied by raising or lowering the displacementelement 3% within the chamber 81 causing a greater orlesser amount of the same to be positioned below the valve operating level of the gasoline within the chamber 8. Thesight tube 15 will greatly aid the operator in adjusting this displace ment object 342 for causing the total capacity to equal exactly one-tenth of a gallon. It will be seen that when the chamber 8 is connected with the intake manifold through the pipe 80 that the vacuum or suction is also eiiecting the pipe 53 for the purpose of drawing the gasoline from the suaply tank 5. This suction will also be extended to the sealed chamber 52 for causing the piston, not shown, to be moved within the chamber52 for operating the counter lever 4-8 for indicating one-tenth of a gallon of gasoline. lVhen the vacuum has been brohen ,hy the closing of the valve 23, and air is allowed toent-er the chamber 8 through the valve opening lhair will be allowed to enterthe chamber 52 for permitting. the piston 51 to return toits normal position. Returning again to the chamber 8 of the vacuum feedtank 6, it will be seen that whenthe valve stem 16 is elevatedfby the float 21, communication will be established between this chamber 8 and the depending extension 9 for allowing the gasoline to feed into the latter. The weightot' this gasoline will cause the flap valve 10 to be'un'seated and will allow the gasoline to drain from the chamber8. chamber 31, sight feed t5. and n'pes 32 and is into the outer chamber 7 The gasolinewill then be tedfrom this outer chamber through thepipe 7 to the carbureter. The vent opening 13 in this ill pipe 30 outer chamber 7 is provided for allowing the admission of air within this chamber when the gasoline is drawn from the same.

It has been stated, heretofore, that the float 21 will engage the movement limiting collar and member 19 and 20 respectively for operating the valve stem 16 whereby the various valves will be seated and unseated, but no mention has been made of the means employed to retain the valves in their various positions during the travel of the float between these collars. For this reason, it might be stated that when the valves are in the positions illustrated, that is with the valve 23 seated and the valve 15 unseated, movement of the float away from the collar 19 will apparently remove all support from the stem 16, the valves 15 and 23, the link 26, and the stem 24 and it would appear that these elements will then fall. This is not true, however, for there is a great difference in air pressure between the unfilled, upper portion of the vacuum chamber 8 and the connected to the intake manifold of an engine. The unfilled portion of the vacuum chamber 8 is at atmospheric pressure, while the pipe is below atmospheric pressure. It, therefore, will be seen that this difference in pressure will operate on both sides of the valve 23 and will retain it on its seat until the weight of the float 21 is added to the remaining elements. The valve 23 will then be unseated. The space between the conical faces of the valve 23 and its seat 22, when the valve is resting upon the guide 25, will permit some air to pass into the pipe 30 to satisfy the suction therein and the valve 23, therefore, will not be sucked onto its seat. The float, when it is moved into engagement with the collar 19, will provide the power necessary to again seat the valve 23.

It will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art that if the gasoline consumed by the engine is recorded or measured in onetenths of a gallon of gasoline and registered upon the counter 47, by computing this consumption of gasoline with the automobile speedometer the mileage obtained by the car can be readily ascertained.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim 1. In an automobile fuel meter 'of the 2. In an automobile fuel'meter of the class,

described, a vacuum fuel feeding apparatus having a vacuum chamber provided with means for connecting the same with the intake manifold of the engine for causing fuel to be drawn from a supply tank and for causing the discharge of the fuel from the chamber when it has reached a predetermined level, an auxiliary chamber connected to the vacuum chamber, means for Varying the containing capacity of the auxiliary chamber below a predetermined level for the purpose of providing a total capacity in the vacuum and auxiliary chambers below said level equal to a fractional part of a gallon at the time of discharging the fuel from the vacuum chamber, a counter for totalizing said fraction and means connected with the vacuum chamber for operating said counter.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRED L. FULLER. 

